Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography
This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
Posting for Alive & Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge.
God Bless. Thank you for Trekking with us. I appreciate y’all.
Natural and necessary
Antidote to Acquire and
Promote improved Performance
Naps are beneficial and not just for children. Naps can be a way to refresh and recharge mid-day. They can give you the boosted energy you need to meet the demands of your afternoon and evening. They can help to improve your mood, mental awareness, and added energy levels. They help in reducing daytime sleepiness, also boosts your learning and performance. For children, they can improve their behavior and emotional self-regulation, as well as aid their memory and language learning.
Coleman doesn’t like or want to take naps if you suggest or tell him to take one. That being said, when he is worn out he will nap basically anywhere. Sometimes I just wish he would nap sooner so he would listen and follow instructions better, instead of falling asleep when he’s supposed to be eating.
Naps are not for everyone, but if you feel like you need to take a nap do not feel guilty about taking one. Remember naps are beneficial to the mind as well as the body.
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and not napping through my post. I appreciate y’all.
Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time with us. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max Main Camera —- 24mm f1.78
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit : Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for following along with my blog. I appreciate y’all.
Ragtag Daily Prompt Saturday: Vanish
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing in Coleman’s antics and expressions. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge–Pick Your Topic from My Photo
Kammie’s, Oddball Challenge
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
This week Di is asking us these questions;
Children aside, do you celebrate your birthday/anniversary or is it just a normal day for you?
For me, my birthday is just an ordinary normal day. It is not recognized by my children. Oh, I wish and long for acknowledgement, but henceforth it does not come and by nightfall I am disappointed.
Do/did you always give your child a birthday party when they were young?
I did not always give my children a birthday party. However, when I did it was usually just with family including cousins.
If your child was born on Christmas Day (or a few days either side of the 25th), did they have a ‘half birthday’ in June, two presents/celebrations, or something else?
None of my children were born near Christmas, but I do have a good friend and an “old” neighbor who was born the day after Christmas. If I remember right, and I might not, his parents tried to make his birthday special & not just combine his birthday with Christmas.
I do have a daughter that was born on “traditional” Memorial Day (traditional meaning before they made it always on a Monday). We tended to celebrate her birthday with the patriotic theme of red, white, and blue.
Would you prefer to give your child a party, or take them and a few friends on a special outing?
A party is nice, but also a lot of work and expense. When my children weren’t so young, I took them out to a restaurant of their choosing. I remember, in my teen years, my parents took me out for my birthday at the restaurant of my choice with cake and present(s) at home afterward.
As a side note, today’s my birthday. I spent the day with my grandson, Coleman (But then again, I usually do). We took the city transit bus into downtown. His first time on a bus ride. First time for both of us in this area (we only moved here in February). We rode the bus downtown and then walked a short distance and hiked the Highland Rail Trail. (He loves to go hiking). The paved trail was just 1.8 miles in length one way. We stopped shy of the end of the trail and walked back to the bus station to wait for the bus to return home. (Coleman was ready to go.) After my daughter got home, she insisted on us going out to eat for my birthday. We hadn’t done that in over three years. We went to a new to us restaurant called Noodles & Company. World Kitchen. It serves many different times of noodle dishes. Italian, Asian, Vegan, and more. I had the Zucchini Pesto with Grilled Chicken. It was delicious. My grandson had the kids grilled chicken, but he was too antsy to sit still and eat. (He fell asleep shortly after we got back home). I did very much appreciate her thoughtfulness. My sons couldn’t bother with acknowledging my birthday. I am thankful for my online friends new and old who sent their birthday greetings. No body wants to be forgotten on their birthday even if they don’t care for celebrations.
#Keepitalive
#SYW
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time with me. I appreciate y’all.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for stepping into my blog. I appreciate y’all.
This month my desktop scrolls between two photos. One from my archives and one current photo.
From my Archives:
From my Current:
Clare’s Share your Desktop; May 2023
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Nature Photo Challenge #12: Trees
Alive & Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters (All except # 3)
God Bless. Thank you for sharing in our hikes. I appreciate y’all.
Mother’s Day is meant to honor and celebrate the unconditional love of a mother. It is celebrated in many countries around the world on the second Sunday of May every year. This year it falls on May 14th.
Did you know that the ancient Greeks and Romans used to celebrate festivals honouring mother goddesses such as Rhea and Cybele. ( I did not know this about them). The ancient festivals were held in the springtime and were dedicated to motherhood and fertility.
Our current tradition of celebrating Mother’s Day in the United States was designated in a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914. It declared the second Sunday of every May as Mother’s Day. Many people choose to give cards, flowers, or other heartfelt gestures to show their appreciation, affection, and gratitude for their mothers or the significant person who demonstrated mother like qualities toward them.
“The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.”
Honoré de Balzac
Most cards contain famous quotes or sayings regarding mother’s or motherhood, however they may not confer how you really feel. The words that touch a mother’s heart the most are the words that come straight from the heart.
My mother and I were never friends and never close after I became an adults on was living in my own. I never felt like she liked me or approved of anything I ever did in my life. Even though I felt that way I still knew, in her own way, she loved me. I cannot express any heartfelt appreciation, gratitude, or love to her on this earth, but I can still remember her & try to honour her.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
These Artistic Doors 🚪 are all painted by local artisans. They are displayed in various locations throughout and around the Gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, North Carolina. For the next few weeks I’m going to post different Artistic Doors for Thursday Doors.
Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i with Altura Wide-Angle Macro Fisheye Lens for Canon EF-S 18-55mm.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm with Altura Wide-Angle Fisheye Lens for Canon
God Bless. Thank you for spinning around to my blog. I appreciate y’all.
XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Photo Challenge
Photo Credit : Deb L. Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.
Ragtag Daily Prompt Saturday: Bucket
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
First up is a Water Fountain located at Glencairn Gardens. It was taken when I took my Aunt Irene there for a visit to see the spring flowers in May of 2019.
Next is a Coca Cola water Fountain located inside Carowinds taken back in August of 2018 when my granddaughter, Alona and I paid a visited.
Then we see Coleman observing the water spraying out of the Fort Mill Dam. This was taken when we visited in May of 2021.
The last photo is I shot I captured of Coleman playing with the Water hose . I loved how the water was sprinkling up towards him. It was taken where we lived at the time in Clover, South Carolina in September of 2021.
Cee’s Black and White Challenge
Jez’s WWE challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L Waters
Coleman and I took a 4.3 mile long hike along from the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Persimmon Trail connecting to the Carolina Thread Trail on Duke Kimbrell Trail and ending with connecting to Worrells Walk back up to the Gardens.
After the long hike Coleman deserved some . Sprinkler Smashing Stupendous Funtime. Here is a video of showing the Sprinkler Fun he enjoyed.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Altura Fisheye Macro Lens for Canon.
Debbies One Word Sunday: Busy
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for sharing in Coleman’s Sprinkler Funtime. I appreciate y’all.
It’s been raining a lot off and on so to relieve boredom I decided to play around with the utilities feature in Google Photos. There are features where you can make collages, animations, and movies. The following is the movie & collage I made.
John’s Cellpic Sunday
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:
From my Canon EOS T3i:
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all,
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Ludwigs Monday Windows
Photo Credit: Trisha L. Wilson, my daughter.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Let’s walk the Nature Trail together. Coleman leads the way around the farm through a log house and later onto the trail.
Posting for Alive & Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Photos shot on a iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing in our adventures. I appreciate y’all.
Debbie’s, Travel With Intent blog, One Word Sunday Challenge
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
This was an interesting challenge to ponder what to select to post. The following is what I selected.
Cee’s Black and White Challenge
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
My bedroom window’s reflection as seen through my laptop screen. My grandson had to sneak a peek at captured my attention.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing my view. I appreciate y’all.
This month my Desktop switches between three photos.
Clare’s Share Your Desktop
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max for first two photos.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
John’s Cellpic Sunday
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com… All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Pull Up a Seat and share the adventure. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max 24mm f1.78 ISO64
God Bless. Thank you for sharing in our adventures. I appreciate y’all.
This week has been Holy Week for many across the world. Regardless of how you celebrate this week or what your beliefs are, I pray that you will have many blessings bestowed upon you.
Any and all holiday celebrations have changed drastically for me since 2020. In my younger years families would gather together for the special occasions. We would go to church every Sunday morning and evening. In between we would gather at my maternal grandparents home for a family dinner and enjoy being together with each other.
Nowadays our families do not gather together on Sundays and not much on holidays either. I use to go to church every week when I didn’t work on Sunday. Holidays were special, choirs at churches performed special music which was very uplifting.
I remember when I was young and living at home, I was always given a new dress to wear on Easter Sunday morning to church. In our family the dresses were rarely store bought, but sewn my mother with love. During the teenage years, we often had matching dresses that my mother had sewn. It was always interesting to see everyone dressed up so special on Easter.
Back then, Spring Break wasn’t called Spring Break or Spring vacation from school. It was at that day and age called Easter Break or Easter vacation. This years Holy Week also coincided with the Jewish Holy Week and the Passover, a festival of freedom.
This year is the first year my grandson was introduced to the Easter Bunny. I haven’t done bunch with Easter bunnies, Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts or anything similar in a very long time.
Today, however, as we were walking through the mall we came across an Easter bunny set up for those wishing to have pictures taken. So we figured, why not? My grandson wasn’t too sure what to think of the Easter bunny at first. He decided to wait for his half-sister before approaching the Easter bunny. Even then he wasn’t to sure if he want to sit next to the bunny or not until I sat next to the bunny with him. After a few shots with me holding him, he decided he’d be okay with sitting next to the bunny without me. The following photo is the result of today’s mall adventure.
Wishing everyone a happy, blessed Easter, Resurrection Sunday, and Passover. May God bless you and yours. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I appreciate y’all.
It’s been raining off and on all week. Today, it been raining steadily since the wee hours of the morning. Ever try to keep a rambunctious three year old happy and entertained? That’s my world. It’s not always easy though. My grandson, Coleman prefers being outdoors in nature, especially in the woods.
What y’all think? What’s your favorite subject to capture on film?
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome #127
Have a blessed holiday weekend, Passover, Easter, or just a fabulous weekend. God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.
iPhone 14 Pro Max:
Canon EOS Rebel T3i:
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.
Ragtag Daily Post Monday: Stable
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Stables with us. I appreciate y’all.
One can select a variety of seating of your choosing around the beautiful picturesque Gardens.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Gardens with me. I appreciate y’all.
Clare’s Share Your Desktop
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with an Altura Fisheye Lens
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome #124
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.
On a Boulder:
On a Bench:
On a Tree:
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com… All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5,217-acre North Carolina state park located in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. Gaston County is located 32 miles west of Charlotte. It is on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina.
Crowders Mountain State Park includes two mountain peaks with fabulous views of the surrounding Piedmont area. The peaks include Crowders Mountain and The Pinnacle. There are three different Access Points to the state park.
My grandson and I entered the Crowders Mountain State Park via the Boulders Access Point. This was the first time I took him to this location. We didn’t go far on this trip, only 2.8 miles round trip. We hiked a small portion of the Ridgeline Trail. The entire Ridgeline Trail runs along both North and South Carolina.
The Ridgeline Trail is only one of many trails in the state park. The Boulders Access has a visitor center, restrooms, and picnic areas along with the hiking trails. At this location are quite a number of various sizes of boulders. Some of the boulders were close to the trail and too much of a temptation for my grandson to resist climbing. The Boulders Access area is less crowded then the main access at the Sparrow Springs Access point. The trail is rocky and traverses up and down and around the mountain.
Park Information:
Crowders Mountain State Park 522 Park Office Lane Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Posting for Alive & Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Photos shot on a iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing in our adventures. I appreciate y’all.
Today wasn’t a day for being out in nature like my grandson loves to be with me. Instead it was a day of running errands and a trip to the barbershop. The last few years I’ve mostly seen beauty shops or hair salons. Sometimes those places just do not perform to one’s satisfaction. We too my grandson to a Great Clips hair salon and were not satisfied with the performance the hairdresser gave on his haircut.
After the poor experience, we let his hair grow and put off taking him anyway to get a better haircut. The other day Coleman, my grandson, held up a portion of his hair and made cutting motions with his fingers. Therefore, it was time to take him somewhere for a better haircut. After googling the area for a barber shop, I found several possibilities. Still I waited though until today. While out on our errands, one of those barbershops was right in the same shopping center we were at for another purpose. I felt it was a sign, so I took him inside for a haircut.
Before photos:
During haircut photos:
After Haircut Photos:
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters ( Aka Nana)
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome #125
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
I decided to display a slide show of Dandelions and Coleman blowing Dandelion seeds into the wind instead of just one picture for today’s post.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Shot on a Canon EOS Rebel T3i with a Canon 75-300 mm lens.
God Bless. Hope y’all don’t mind it is not completely wordless. Thanking for stopping by. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023gfpacificbeeintrospection.com
Shot with an iPhone 13 Pro
God Bless. Thank you for hanging with me. I appreciate y’all.
Numbered Trail Posts with Coleman signifying the numbers.
Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Numbers
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome #124
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Hidden trail in the neighborhood behind the soccer field. My grandson, Coleman loves to find natural trails regardless of whether it is an actual trail or just a path to who knows where. This is a path or trail we discovered the other day while walking and investigating our new neighborhood,
Posting for Alive & Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for traveling with us. I appreciate y’all.
Ludwig’s Monday Windows
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Coleman’s hand in mine.
Coleman showing numbers with his Hands
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
What do you think about when you hear the term home?
According to Wikipedia, Home or domicile is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans and sometimes animal companions.
Do you have to have an actual house to have a home? Some might say you do; regardless of whether it be a house, an apartment or a mobile home. Still others would disagree. Myself, I would disagree.
One of my favorite sayings is “Home is Where the Heart is.” What does it mean by “Home is Where the Heart is?” It means simply that your home that your home will always be the place for which you feel the deepest affection, no matter where you are. Often times the place I have the greatest affection for has no walls at all. I am most at home in the woods surrounded by trees and the vast beauty of God’s creation out in nature.
Recently I have been living with my daughter and her son taking care of him 24/7. We moved a week ago from an apartment in Rock Hill, South Carolina to a townhome in Gastonia, North Carolina. Really only a little less than an hour away from where we were. Do I consider it my home? Not really. But maybe temporarily, since my heart lies with my grandson.
Moving from one dwelling to another can be extremely stressful. Packing, unpacking, all while trying to keep a three-year-old entertained can take a toll on a person. I know all too well. Especially if the move is not well planned in advance. I do not handle last minute decisions or moves all that well.
We are now in a townhome in a very quiet neighborhood unlike our last one which was very very noisy. Here no one live above us. It is so wonderful not to hear footsteps all hours of the night or day.
Coleman and I have been taking walks around the neighborhood investigating our new surroundings. Seeing what we can see and taking photos of interesting sights.
Coleman is still adjusting having only been here for a week and a half so far, however, I think he likes the new place so much more than the old one and is happier here being able to feel free to walk around, I know I do not know what I would do if I did not have him to love and share my love of nature.
Fandango’s One Word Challenge: Home
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Blue benches like this one are located all around the park and trails at Goat Island Park and Greenway. Punched into it is Cramerton, NC.
This post was taller than any of us are, so it took two of us to help her up onto the post.
Coleman demonstrating his many expressions while perched on the same post his half-sister was on above.
These were taken with my Canon EOS Rebel T3i on Saturday, February 18th when we visited Goat Island Park and Greenway. The Goat Island Park and Greenway is located in Cramerton, North Carolina just a few miles from where we recently moved (a week ago). The Park and Greenway have many different features for people of all ages and abilities. It has two separate playgrounds: one for children 1-4 years old and another one for children 5-12 years old. It has two pedestrian bridges which cross over the South Fork River, a fishing pier, river access, 1/2 mile of asphalt walking trail, and an Adult Fitness Pavillion. In addition to these features, it also has Large and Small Picnic Shelters, three permanent cornhole courts, two permanent ping pong tables, and an 18-hole Disc Golf Course. For the cornhole, ping pong, and Disc Golf one3 must bring their own equipment in order to play.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting Goat Island Park and Greenway with me. I appreciate y’all.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 